Togo

The Togolese Republic is a West African country with its capital at Lome. Togo was a source of slaves during the trans-Atlantic slave trade of the 17th century, and it was colonized by the German Empire in 1884, becoming a protectorate of Germany. After World War I, France conquered Togo, and France granted Togo its independence in 1960. In 1967, Gnassingbe Eyadema seized power in a coup and maintained power until his death in 2005, reigning for 38 years; his son Faure Gnassingbe succeeded him as president. In 2015, Togo had a population of 7,552,318 people, with 51% being animist, 29% Christian, and 20% Muslim.